This is a study of inter and intra-generational relations as they effect the Management of the family farm in a period of crisis and change. The project is organized round an hypothesis which sees the elderly in an especially salient position as regards the farm business. Not only do the tax laws favor the retention of landownership for a longer period than in the historical past, but also the present agricultural crisis would make most landowners reluctant to relinquish title and management of the farm to the younger generation, until they have some assurance that the business will provide them with a secure retirement. Traditionally the delicate balance between satisfying the desires of children to start farming, and the requirements of parents for retirement became one of the key elements of any intergenerational interaction. The present financial difficulties of many farm families make smooth relationships between generations even more crucial, and ensure that elderly farmers and their spouses remain central to any family decision making process. Research will concentrate on four areas as they touch on family decision making. First, the study will investigate the family reaction to the inflationary cycle of the late 1970s, when many businesses expanded; second, the period of reorganization after the downturn of the economy in the early 1980s. Finally, the project will explore the impact the altered economic situation had on estate and retirement plans for the elder generation, and how these effected the younger generation as well. The study will use documentary and interview data, and will focus on three Iowa counties where work has been successfully carried out in the past. The project will last 18 months, and will result in the publication of the research findings in several scholarly articles.